Beneath the Mask
by White Weasel
Summary: Really, we was nobody. He had no face, no emotions, sometimes it seemed as if he didn't even have his own will. To some he was know as The Phantom, to others the Ultimate Imposter, but no matter what you called him he was still the same. Spoilers for AA5, DR1 and SDR2.


**AN: First off major spoilers for Ace Attorney Dual Destinies, Dangan Ronpa One and Dangan Ronpa 2. Also I have not seen DR:AE or DR0 so if anything is contradictory to that you may inform me but please, don't spoil. So this came out of nowhere. I mean I had the idea for it for a little bit but it came out... completely different than my usual writing style. I'm not quite sure why. Maybe it has to do with all the time skips. Anyways as soon as I found out that "Byakuya Togami" from SDR2 was the Ultimate Imposter I immediately thought of the Phantom from Ace Attorney. My heart sank though, realizing that there was no way to connect the two, that is until the Ultimate Despair thing was brought to light in chapter 6 then... well my imagination got the better of me.**

**Anyways, this is my first time writing Dangan Ronpa characters so they're probably going to be OOC. Like, Junko isn't really that crazy in how I portray her :/****This contains speculation on why the imposter became part of the Ultimate Despair. Also, hinted at Ibuki x Imposter because why not.**

Nobody. He was nobody. He had no face, no identity, nothing.

And the worst thing was he knew it too.

* * *

><p>Receiving a letter of acceptance to Hope's Peak Academy was usually a situation met with joy and celebrating. However, he found himself simply staring at the piece of paper. His admittance wasn't the problem, not in and of itself anyway. No, it was the title he had been granted, Ultimate Imposter.<p>

He didn't know why he had found it such a big deal. Impersonation was his _life_. He was rather good at imitating body language and verbal tics; it simply came naturally to him. He wasn't quite sure when it had gone too far. When he got too caught up in one of his roles and played it for too long. Now… now he struggled to remember was like before he acted out a part. When he was himself. Heck, he couldn't even remember his own name.

Maybe that's what made him feel so sick, his name being signed as Mr. Imposter.

* * *

><p>His first year of school he was Byakuya Togami, Ultimate Affluent Prodigy. None of his new classmates even suspected that he wasn't the real deal; that "Byakuya" was a year older than what his birthdate said. That maybe one of the sons of the biggest business conglomerates should have looked a little thinner.<p>

No, nobody noticed. In fact, his classmates were never suspicious of him. They talked to him. They befriended him; and by the way that people would oh-so-subtly winked at him and Ibuki when they were together he might've even had the chance for a girlfriend. He could almost forget that he wasn't who they all loved. He could almost pretend that he was a normal high schooler.

Until his second year when the new class arrived.

Within the first _day_ of classes it was obvious something was amiss. With a first year by the name of Kyoko doing just a few searches on the internet- something that didn't even need the expertise of an Ultimate Detective- it was determined that the older "Byakuya" was a fraud.

It didn't take long for everyone in his own class to avoid him like the plague, even Ibuki.

"Can't you just not copy anyone?" Ibuki had asked almost desperately. "Ibuki doesn't care what you really look like! She knows that it might be hard, but she has faith!"

He walked away from her when she had said that. Even if he had wanted to he could never "be himself"; he didn't know who he was in the first place. After a while, Ibuki seemed to have given up on him too, opting instead for hanging around with Mikan, Mahiru, Hiyoko- surprisingly- and some other girl he wasn't quite sure the name of.

He tried to avoid his other classmates in turn. He ate his large meals either in his room or in the garden on the top floor of the school. Nobody ever came to find him. Nobody wanted to interact with someone who had betrayed their trust and he didn't blame them.

It wasn't until one day, a month or two after the start of the school year, a girl with two long strawberry blonde pigtails came to where he was.

"Hey there! I can't help but notice you always eat your lunch in here, and it seems soooooo boring." The girl was beautiful. She was thin and wore very trendy, if not revealing, clothes. "So I decided to talk to you! Junko Enoshima, Ultimate Fashonista at your service."

"…" The imposter studied the girl for a few moments.

"It's no fun if you don't talk."

"I won't waste words if I have nothing to say." He glared at her. He was _technically_ still impersonating Byakuya after all, even if he had already been discovered. She didn't reply to his comment.

_Well… she seemed like an airhead anyway._ Yet he couldn't feel as if there was some regret for pushing away. After all, she was the only person willing to talk to him.

* * *

><p>Surprisingly, the next day she sat with him during lunch again. The conversation was minimal, but at least it was something. Over the next few weeks the arrangement continued. Over time the topics that they discussed became darker until Junko finally asked him.<p>

"You must have been in a lot of despair, right? When everyone abandoned you?" She turned to him so that he was looking directly into her blue eyes.

"…You could phrase it like that." He turned away and took a large bite of meat.

"Wouldn't it feel great for everyone who made you that way have the same despair tenfold?" The Imposter flinched back mildly. All the morals he held told him that this was wrong. This conversation was wrong and was only going to steer into a worse direction. That this _girl _was wrong, must be something messed up in her head. Actually he might have known that for a while now, but…

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. His classmates, his _friends_ had betrayed him. He imagined his peers in their worst states possible and he couldn't help but feel slightly giddy at the thought.

Too caught up in his mind to speak he nodded slightly.

"What if I said I have this little group I'm thinking of? So far it's only me and Mukuro, but my closest friend can join if he wants too."

_She called me her closest friend. She considers me a friend. I don't scare her. She likes me. I-I can't decline, I would lose her!_

"Wh-what," He cleared his throat to compose himself. "What kind of group?"

"Well, I haven't actually named it yet, but I have a plan concerning some… changes to the school." The corners of her mouth raised ever so slightly. "And as a bonus, despair will be included for everyone."

"It sounds…" _Evil, terrible, horrible, immoral, dishonorable, wicked, somethingIshouldnotbeapartof. _"Interesting."

"So you'll join?!" Junko said with a huge grin plastered across her face. It was the happiest he'd ever seen her. Her glee was contagious and he was glad that she had befriended him.

He nodded his head indicating yes.

"Wonderful! Now you understand that after this you can't back out, no matter what, right?" He rolled his eyes and nodded again. "Good, because if you said no I would've had to get Mukuro to kill you." Her smile had never for one moment dropped. At that moment the bell signaling the end of lunch rang. "Well, see you tomorrow."

At that moment a sense of dread filled the imposter. What had he just signed up for? However, he couldn't bring himself to truly regret his decision.

* * *

><p>Another year passed and more and more people joined the once group of three. They were now called the Ultimate Despair. Surprisingly, many of the imposter's classmates seemed to join the group, people he couldn't even fathom reasons why they were there. Like Nagito for example. Didn't he go on and on about hope and love it so much he had told others that he would <em>die <em>for it? Or Sonia. Why would the next in line for throne wish to join such a group? The most puzzling was Ibuki though. She was always so full of life, bursting with energy. Why…?

He decided to ask her about it.

* * *

><p>After a week of continually talking with Ibuki, Junko took notice.<p>

"But Mr. Imposter, am I not good enough for you? Is despair not good enough for you? Why do you have to spread these feelings of _hope _to Ibuki. Why do you need them for yourself?" He had stood up straight as she circled around him. "Didn't you say that causing despair gave you such a rush?"

"Yes." Sadly, it was not a lie.

"Better than any hope you've ever felt?"

"Yes." Also the truth.

"So stop. Giving. People. Hope." She hissed in his ear. She then exited, leaving him alone.

He never spoke to Ibuki again.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Imposter?" Junko called out to him. He glanced over at her as she crooked her finger at him.<p>

"What is it?"

"Later I need you to help Mukuro in making a disguise of me." He opened his mouth as if to ask what for, but she put a hand up to stop him. "But that's not the main reason I need to talk to you. It's your impersonations. They just don't have the… believability that is needed."

"Not believable?" His heart sunk. If there was one thing that he was proud of, it was his ability to mimic others. Maybe he didn't always like having to live as someone else, but the talent itself was great.

"Your research is very good and you have your target's mannerisms down to a fault, but your emotions get in the way. It interferes with perfecting the personality."

She couldn't possibly be asking…

"You really should get those under control." She pat his cheek and walked away.

She was, and he would do what she asked.

He would do anything for her.

* * *

><p>Their plan was a success. The newest, and probably most mysterious member, Izuru Kamukura had carried out his role flawlessly and now the whole world was in despair. However he couldn't feel the glee that everyone else was. He had become a master at being emotionless and he couldn't let one success ruin his perfection that he had achieved.<p>

Besides, there was still more to be done. Some surviving students had locked themselves inside Hope's Peak Academy. Junko and Mukuro had already said that they would be inside the school to spread despair.

The plan was foolproof.

* * *

><p>Neither Mukuro nor Junko came out of the Hope's Peak. Somehow, someway that boy, Makoto Naegi, had beaten Junko. Everyone was a wreck, but being who they were actually enjoyed the sensation too. The imposter couldn't feel what his fellow members were though.<p>

He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

* * *

><p>Even a year after their deaths the work of Junko had to continue though and every Ultimate Despair knew that, even the imposter. Now that he could easily become anyone without emotions getting in the way he caused more despair than ever. Imitating public figures and then committing heinous crimes, becoming someone's loved one before betraying them, he had done it all.<p>

One day Nekomaru, the new unofficial leader of the group, gave him a mission. There was going to be a rocket launch in Los Angeles California. HAT-1 was its name. Also, he was given a heads up from Fuyuhiko that a psychologist at the same space station had somehow obtained a psychological profile on him that could get him captured.

He assured the yakuza that he had everything under control and there was nothing to worry about. Kazuichi had even lent him one of his planes that he had made to fly there. Yep, nothing could go wrong.

* * *

><p>He had not been counting on the little girl being there. He couldn't quite remember. Artemis? Aura? No, that was the other woman's name. Athena. That was it. Athena was not supposed to see him commit his crime. However, he somehow still got away. All the blame was pinned on that prosecutor.<p>

He hadn't gotten the profile though. He simply could not find it while rummaging through Metis Cykes's office. No matter, no harm was done.

To him anyway.

* * *

><p>Six years passed and despair continued to be spread. Sonia had successfully taken over Novoselic and other European countries like Borginia. It was even rumored that the queen had pardoned many notorious murderers in secret. In America a time known as "The Dark Age of the Law" had come upon the courts throughout the country and there was distrust between the population and the court system.<p>

He was forced to return to Los Angeles that year. There were three main reasons for returning. One, the HAT-2 rocket had to be sabotaged. Either that or called off completely and publically. This was to showing that nothing could stand against despair. Two, Hope had to be destroyed. No, not in the intangible sense for once. The Hope capsule was a small thing that contained a piece of moon rock with blood on it. His blood. He could not let anyone have that. Three, well, there was always work to be done in every part of the world. The city could use some more hopelessness.

When the phantom man had arrived in the city it didn't take long for him to select a target, a man by the name of Bobby Fulbright. 32 years old, police officer with high clearance, no family living with him, not too many personal relationships, and an optimist. In other words the perfect person to become.

This might be easier than he thought.

* * *

><p>Another year passed as he impersonated the detective. He had managed to get rather close to Simon Blackquill, but he still couldn't find the psychological profile he was looking for.<p>

No matter, within the next few hours he would be gone, away from these _annoying_ attorneys forever.

He had already planted the bomb on the HAT-2 rocket and was now "securing the area". It had almost been too easy. He was too trusted to be suspected. He hated to sound like Izuru but… it was boring. He glanced at his watch nonchalantly. Only another minute before the bomb would blow.

Just as he predicted after sixty seconds the entire building was shaken. He made his way towards where he needed to go to obtain the Hope capsule. However, what he had not expected when he entered the room was two bodies on the ground. Ah well, it didn't change anything.

He made his way to where the capsule was and reached for it.

"H-hey! What do you… you think you're doing?!" Slowly and calmly the imposter turned to the man closest to him on the floor. It seems that they weren't dead after all… And the guy had seen "his face". There really was no choice.

The knife easily found its way into the chest of the man.

* * *

><p>Blowing up Courtroom Number four had not been difficult at all. The bomb expert, Ted Tonate, was distracted when he grabbed the detonator. Also, nobody knew he had it. All he had to do was press the button at some point during the trial where the moon rock was. Then poof, all evidence against him disappeared.<p>

Of course, he acted shocked and outraged when he was told there had been a bombing on the court as he had been conveniently using the bathroom around the time the bomb went off. His original plan was that everyone attending that trial would die, but no matter.

Everything was done. After "Bobby Fulbright" wrapped up his final investigation he would be gone without a trace.

* * *

><p>He couldn't believe it. Him? Caught? How? There was no way. And now… Wright was saying to confront his fear. He didn't have fear. Junko told him not to have fear. He <em>couldn't <em>have fear.

But he did. He was afraid of what his past was, _who _he was. The attorney trio all pointed at him while they ordered him to show his true face. Not out of obedience to them, but of the need to know _for himself _did the phantom start to rip of masks one by one. None of them were him. They were all fakes, _lies._

He was so concentrated on his masks that it took him as a surprise when he felt his chest hit with a bullet. It didn't hit anything vital, almost as if it was shot that way on purpose. He looked up to see the culprit and he found himself looking into the eyes of the real Byakuya Togami.

_The Future Foundation… how did they find out about me? _Before he could think anymore he fell unconscious.

* * *

><p>He awoke in a hospital bed to the sounds of beeping all around him. The eyes of the nurse who was with him lit up. She made her way over to his bed and started asking a multitude of questions about how he felt. He didn't answer any of them.<p>

He should be dead. There was no reason for Byakuya to miss such an easy shot. The Future Foundation was out to kill all Ultimate Despair so why hadn't he died?

The only answer he could come up with was that they wanted information. Obviously, he would not give them any even if they attempted torturing him.

Within the next hour a group of three young adults dressed in black suits. They flashed their badges at the nurse and handed her a few papers. The woman was quite shocked at what was written on them.

"You can't just discharge a patient like this! Especially a criminal! The police need to interrogate him, hold a trial, and send him to prison. Do you know how dangerous this man is?!"

"Yes we do." The woman, Kyoko Kirigri, said. "Which is why you must release him into out custody."

"We have more authority than any standard police department, or even organizations like the FBI or CIA for that matter." Byakuya said with a condescending look. The woman seemed ready to object before Makoto butt in.

"It's all there in the papers." She looked back over said item again and sighed resignedly. "Now if you could please leave us. And also, keep this matter discreet, okay." The nurse shook her head and left.

"You won't get anything out of me so just kill me now." The imposter said in a monotone voice.

"We're not here to kill you." Kyoko said. "We're here to collect you." Without another word she and Byakuya put a pair of handcuffs on him and pulled out any wires connected to him. The three escorted him out of the hospital and into an armored car. After a few hours' drive he was moved onto a boat.

He had no idea where he was going, but this was the most excited he had allowed himself to feel in a long time.

* * *

><p>The imposter finally got off the boat and onto a small resort island. He was, again painfully, taken to the main island where a large building was. He was walked down into the basement levels where there were fifteen pods open and waiting for occupants. Around him all the other members from the Ultimate Despair were in similar states as he was, handcuffed and being watched by three Future Foundation members he recognized from Hope's Peak.<p>

"Attention everyone!" Makoto said. "I know you are wondering why you were brought here." The luckster glanced around the room. "Well, you are going to be put in a simulation. That is all you need to know. This is for your greater good though so please, do not resist."

Byakuya was already pushing him toward his pod and removing his handcuffs. He had half a mind to fight back but behind the prodigy he saw Izuru plugging a small flash drive into the large supercomputer. All the Future Foundation members must have been busy forcing people into pods to notice.

All he could do was smile as the lid to his capsule closed.

**And then the events of the game happened. **

**Now the one thing I want to say about how the Future Foundation found our beloved imposter is Izuru Kamukura. He had found out about the simulation (obviously because he had to know beforehand to have Junko) and "accidently" gave the positions of everybody away. This explains Byakuya being the sniper and how he knew to be there.**

**Well, that's all for now. Review if you would like because it give me motivation to write more. **


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